Pan Roasted Corn

 Corn is one of those foods that just tastes better when it’s roasted! It has a delicious, deep flavor with a hint of sweetness! If you like roasted vegetables, try my roasted Butternut squash with Apple Butter glaze!

Smoky and sweet, this roasted corn side dish pairs well with just about everything from purple hull peas to fried catfish! Here’s how to pan roast corn  canned, frozen or fresh corn- indoors with a cast iron skillet.

Ingredients

It doesn’t take a lot to make pan-fried corn and there’s no oil involved. The trickiest thing about making pan grilled corn is the high heat. You’ll definitely need a set of tongs to rotate the corn cobs or a long-handled spoon to stir the kernels.

• Corn – get whole kernel corn (not cream style corn) canned corn, fresh corn or frozen corn kernels
• Milk-2% or whole
• Cast iron skillet – seasoned
• Tongs-long handled tongs work best

How to make roasted corn on the stove top

• Roast corn on the cob or loose, whole corn kernels – your call
• Soak the corn in a mixing bowl covered with milk for 15 minutes. This makes the corn sweeter from the sugars in the milk
• Meanwhile, heat up a cast iron skillet over medium heat with NO OIL – no butter, no vegetable oil and no olive oil. You want a dry, seasoned cast iron skillet
• Pat dry the corn
• Use long handled tongs or a spoon and add the corn to the hot skillet; Stand Back. It will splatter and spit.
• Turn on the Vent. Watch the hot skillet. If it gets too hot, turn the heat down a little. The corn will pop and sizzle while it’s cooking. If you see the kernels getting too brown or smell burnt corn, remove the pan from the stove top and decrease the heat a bit.
• When making pan roasted corn indoors, you’ll see the sides begin to brown after about 6-8 minutes; rotate it in the pan until most of the kernels are almost black.
• Once the kernels are roasted, you can either put them in a bowl and add butter, shuck the kernels (if roasting whole corn cobs), or freeze it for later use in soups and stews.

Recipe Tip: Foolproof way to make corn sweeter

This is one step I always apply when roasting corn -whether I roast the whole corn cob, use frozen or canned corn, I always soak it in a little milk for a few minutes-this makes the pan roasted corn even sweeter!

The sugars in the milk permeate the kernels and when that puffed up, sugar-enhanced kernel hits the hot fire, the sugars embed themselves in the core of the kernel, making the end product sweeter than before.

Be sure to dry the corn before you place it in the hot skillet!

What kind of pan do I use for pan roasted corn on the stovetop?

You’ll want a heavy bottomed, preferably a cast iron skillet. Make sure it’s seasoned well and is dry. For best stovetop pan roasted corn, cook the kernels on dry heat (without any oil or butter.) This gives the sweet corn that “roasted” flavor and char.